Shoud Raptors pursue a reputed. proven Coach?

In their 15 year history, Raptors have made the play-offs 5 times. The play-off teams were coached by B Carter(once), L Wilkens(twice) and Sam Mitchell(twice). Coaches of teams that did not make the play-offs include B Malone, D Walker, K O'Neal, J Triano and D Casey.

Were the teams that made the play-offs, the five best teams the Raps. have fielded? My answer is 'No'. Jay Triano's team(Bosh, Hedo etc) was deep and pretty strong. Another team that comes to mind is Kevin O'Neal's team(Carter,Rose, Marshall etc). These are two teams that come to mind and there may be a couple more. In fact Triano's team was comfortably placed at the 4th place in the East at the AS break before falling out of play off contention.

B Carter, L Wilkens(HoF) and S Mitchell(Coach of year winner) are arguably the best Coaches Raps. have had. Is it coincidental that the 5 play-off teams were coached by one of these Coaches, did their coaching make the difference or is it a bit of both? If in fact the "Coach Makes a Difference", should Raps. pursue a reputed, proven Coach? I think yes, what about you?

I think the team has a good group of players. What it lacks compared to the previous play-off teams is a superstar go-to guy(VC and Bosh). Changing players, unless it's for a super-star in return will not help or make a difference. A proven Coach might.

“The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.” - Martin Luther King

In their 15 year history, Raptors have made the play-offs 5 times. The play-off teams were coached by B Carter(once), L Wilkens(twice) and Sam Mitchell(twice). Coaches of teams that did not make the play-offs include B Malone, D Walker, K O'Neal, J Triano and D Casey.

Were the teams that made the play-offs, the five best teams the Raps. have fielded? My answer is 'No'. Jay Triano's team(Bosh, Hedo etc) was deep and pretty strong. Another team that comes to mind is Kevin O'Neal's team(Carter,Rose, Marshall etc). These are two teams that come to mind and there may be a couple more. In fact Triano's team was comfortably placed at the 4th place in the East at the AS break before falling out of play off contention.

B Carter, L Wilkens(HoF) and S Mitchell(Coach of year winner) are arguably the best Coaches Raps. have had. Is it coincidental that the 5 play-off teams were coached by one of these Coaches, did their coaching make the difference or is it a bit of both? If in fact the "Coach Makes a Difference", should Raps. pursue a reputed, proven Coach? I think yes, what about you?

Ironically Butch Carter may have our best coach.....I would like SVG but BC needs to go first.

I'd dump the GM first, then the coach as well. BC had more than 5 years, and the raps have been stuck in mediocrity. I believe it's time for a new man in-charge, hopefully someone like Alex Anthopolous.

Regarding coaching, I'm hoping that either Casey implements an offensive system since the raps don't have a natural playmaker since jose left. The offense is just terrible, no one can score, Gay/derozan isos are terrible, and scrubs like Andersen and Lucas chuck up most of the shots. How about running something like Princeton offense? It worked well in Sacramento and Washington back in the day, both were playoff teams. Both don't have a playmaking point guard (bibby, arenas). It didn't work with LA because it shuts down Nash's talent a a playmaker, and Kobe needs/wants the ball.

I'd like stan van gundy as a head coach. He was decent in miami and orlando (went to the finals). And maybe he could bring in Patrick Ewing as his top assistant to work out with Jonas, just like he did with Yao Ming and Dwight howard. And he could have his pizzas, not just a slice. LOL

I'd dump the GM first, then the coach as well. BC had more than 5 years, and the raps have been stuck in mediocrity. I believe it's time for a new man in-charge, hopefully someone like Alex Anthopolous.

Regarding coaching, I'm hoping that either Casey implements an offensive system since the raps don't have a natural playmaker since jose left. The offense is just terrible, no one can score, Gay/derozan isos are terrible, and scrubs like Andersen and Lucas chuck up most of the shots. How about running something like Princeton offense? It worked well in Sacramento and Washington back in the day, both were playoff teams. Both don't have a playmaking point guard (bibby, arenas). It didn't work with LA because it shuts down Nash's talent a a playmaker, and Kobe needs/wants the ball.

I'd like stan van gundy as a head coach. He was decent in miami and orlando (went to the finals). And maybe he could bring in Patrick Ewing as his top assistant to work out with Jonas, just like he did with Yao Ming and Dwight howard. And he could have his pizzas, not just a slice. LOL

Many people think BC should be fired. Personally I think he deserves one more year so he get's a fair opportunity to complete the rebuilding he started post Bosh. This doesn't mean that I endorse every move he's made and if he's fired, I wouldn't complain. However, I don't see it solving the Coaching problem. I think the team as composed presently, with a significant addition, can make the play-offs comfortably if it has a better Coach. Stan Van Gundy would not make a small difference but a huge one.

Like many I did not support the hiring of the inexperienced AA(Blue Jays) only to end up eating my words. No success yet but in 3 years he's taken one of the worst teams to a team that's starting the season favourites. Obviously Beeston saw something in him but I'm sure he too would admit that he didn't expect such a brilliant GM. My point is, it's not often that a franchise stumbles into someone like AA.

I agree with Craiger at top. Dump the GM, acquire better players (specifically better role players - no Anderson, no Lucas - and a reliable inside presence in the front-court, i.e Millsap/Boozer, and Amir becomes 3rd big. Oh yeah, no thank you to Bargnani) THAN change the coach(ing).

I agree with the fact we have the players and talent to be in the playoffs, but they're not being used to their full potential.

If casey goes..BC must go first, all the hired coaches under his tenure have been uneventful.

I don't believe its the coaching, its the players brought in. We have had countless coaches since Sam Mitchell left. If the ownership is serious about winning they will start with a new GM. BC's trades have been brutal. Casey needs defensive players to plug in, i find a few Raps have already improved defensively though.

I agree with the others. No point making a coaching change if Colangelo's the one making the decision. Stick with Casey until the new GM comes in.

As for potential Casey replacements, just say no to Mike Brown...the most overrated coach in recent memory. If you think our offensive execution is bad now, Brown would make it worse with his genius "give-the-ball-to-LeBron" strategy.

But I do like the idea of Stan Van Gunday, Nate McMillan, Jerry Sloan, Hubie Brown, Mo Cheeks, or maybe even Eddie Jordan.

I agree with the others. No point making a coaching change if Colangelo's the one making the decision. Stick with Casey until the new GM comes in.

As for potential Casey replacements, just say no to Mike Brown...the most overrated coach in recent memory. If you think our offensive execution is bad now, Brown would make it worse with his genius "give-the-ball-to-LeBron" strategy.

But I do like the idea of Stan Van Gunday, Nate McMillan, Jerry Sloan, Hubie Brown, Mo Cheeks, or maybe even Eddie Jordan.

So glad someone sees the awfulness of Brown's coaching style.

One name I might add onto that list, and obviously this is with the assumption that he'll leave his current job soon, is Doug Collins. Other than that, I'm ok with most of those names except....

I don't like Nate too much. His teams have also had pretty unoriginal offensive sets, and I think his personality wears on his players.

Also, I don't think Hubie Brown can coach anymore. Not to be an agist, but dude can barely keep pace as a commentator, so I can't imagine him managing a game anymore.

I'd be willing to give a shot to either Cheeks or Jordan a shot. Both have had success and both kind of suffered from messed up situations in their head coaching stints.

One name I might add onto that list, and obviously this is with the assumption that he'll leave his current job soon, is Doug Collins. Other than that, I'm ok with most of those names except....

I don't like Nate too much. His teams have also had pretty unoriginal offensive sets, and I think his personality wears on his players.

Also, I don't think Hubie Brown can coach anymore. Not to be an agist, but dude can barely keep pace as a commentator, so I can't imagine him managing a game anymore.

I'd be willing to give a shot to either Cheeks or Jordan a shot. Both have had success and both kind of suffered from messed up situations in their head coaching stints.

Love Hubie Brown as a commentator. He gives incredible insight, and he teaches the game while doing his an analysis. He has the potential to be a decent head coach, but like you said, the pace may become somewhat of a problem.

A new coach makes no sense without a change at the top, but if a coaching change was needed I wouldn't mind going after Larry Brown. Yes he's old, but in his 31! years of coaching, he's only had 6 years where his team played less than .500, and two of those years were with Charlotte.

He coached the Pistons to a championship.. the same team that didn't have a true super star. He also coached AI who in a lot of ways plays like Lowry (or at least the Lowry that I was hoping we got after the trade).

May not be a long term solution because of his age but he should help turn this franchise around at least to a somewhat respectable level.